2 Ways to Get Better Results in the Gig Economy

The gig economy is here to stay. Whether through choice or because of the economic downturn during the Great Recession, many millennials started off with part-time and contract work after college. The hiring freezes combined with the boom of remote work assignments and online services helped turn gigs and freelance work into a mainstay in the economy. Both employers and workers benefit from the arrangement, but both parties also have to handle a few downsides. Here are two ways to make the most of hiring contractors through the gig economy:

1. Get their actual contact details if you can.

If you use a third-party service, chances are you can only reach the contractor through that interface. This makes sense, especially if the service puts a lot of work into recruiting a talent pool and maintaining quality assurance. In these circumstances, talk to the company about how to designate their work to a specific contractor.

But if you find a reliable worker in the open market, ask for their phone number and email address. Their profile on a work site might be temporary or can be taken down for any number of reasons. But building a directory of direct contact details can help you build long-term relationships with high-quality freelancers.

2. Pay more.

It’s easy to get caught up in how low the rates for online gigs can go. But that’s a quick way to end up with work you have to go back and revise. Instead of doing your calculations from what you see other people offering or the hourly rate you’d give a traditional employee, remember the taxes and health care costs you’re saving on.

Not only does that mean you can afford to pay for higher quality, but contractors have to pay those taxes and health care costs themselves, and they figure those percentages in when deciding the actual profitability of a project.